soundboard de cheevo

Clare is in town for Halloween and has brought a plethora of disguises and props with her including this wig modeled by Lindsay whose alter ego is Wanda while in this get up. Clare has an elaborate costume that involves a straight jacket and a wedding dress and some fake blood (she is at the end of a divorce in real life so no need to wonder what up with that costume idea). Lindsay is creating a new alter ego in Wanda (ReBarb was back in May with Waddy). I haven't settled on a get up, but it will be something freaky (a la the Thriller video) I hope. Stay tuned for more photo fun. Photo-0049.jpg Originally uploaded by echeevo72 .

Wanda is our newest reincarnation for my sister. Wanda tells us her last job was as a truckstop waitress (and all that implies . . . ) She's also a part-time psychic and spent a couple of months at cosmetology school, but never got her certificate. We hope she tells us more tonight and gets a little more freaky.

Wanda prepares for her first palm reading. Stay tuned for results!

Asalai, a two-year-old female lion, carries a pumpkin with a Halloween face carved on it at Sydney's Taronga Zoo, Monday, Oct. 31, 2005. The zoo's Behavioral Biologist Margaret Hawkins carved the pumpkins under a program to introduce new foods and scents to exhibits to stimulate the animals. (AP Photo/Mark Baker)

Fairy Princess Sheba, an English bulldog puppy owned by Amber Alcorn, wins the heart of Ryan Paul Gehring, background center, during the 10th-annual pet costume contest, sponsored by Atwoods stores, Sunday, Oct. 30, 2005, in Enid, Okla. (AP Photo/Enid News & Eagle, Bonnie Vculek)

Okay, I know that is line is supposed to be about Christmas, but I think right now is the best time of the year. I think of all the Peanuts specials, "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown" (1966) might be my favorite. although "Snoopy Come Home" (1972) could make it a tie. I enjoy the wit and wisdom of Charles Schultz more and more as I get older. I love how how the Peanuts characters and their tales are appropriate for any age. The Peanuts characters have always reminded me of my own circle of friends with Lucy Van Pelt as Karen and Clare, Charlie Brown as Roy and myself as Peppermint Patty. Schroeder also reminds me of Roy. Linus reminds me of my friend Justin from Montevallo art school days and I still haven't figured out who is Marcie or Sally. Snoopy has always reminded me of my late grandfather Wheeler. He was a Peanuts fan as well and a charming pill like Snoopy. Here is some funny trivia about "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown" ...

Days ago I got tagged by blogger bud BeckEye . I think I got distracted by all her posts about random 80's movies and celebrity crushes. So here it goes: Seven things I want to do before I die: (not in order) Learn to make sushi properly Have at least one baby, hopefully two Live on a farm Visit Europe Start painting again in my own studio Get a Great Dane puppy and a terrier puppy (not at the same time) Get published Seven things I can do: Play guitar Cook Draw Sing Take decent photos Get along well with kids, babies and critters Teach dogs tricks Seven things I cannot do: Any sort of math in my head Burp on command Not overthink every issue that pops into mind Sleep on any sort of regular schedule Have sympathy for whiners Be cruel to any baby animal (not that I make it a habit to be cruel to any adult animal) Eat peanuts Seven things I say a lot: I 'll e-mail you the link Hang on (As my father says, "You are always telling people to hang on!") Random (describing a ...

"We must never forget about the power of ordinary people to stand in the fire for the cause of human dignity, and to touch the hearts of people who have almost turned to stone." William Jefferson Clinton , 1996, in honor of Rose Parks, who was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor - - Today marks the passing of a world figure whose life and legacy began in Alabama and who made history 50 years ago when she refused to give up her seat on a Montgomery city bus -- the spark that ignited the American civil rights movement. Rosa Parks wasn't outrageous and certainly wasn't interested in a personal agenda. As she said, her legs were just tired. A saint disguised as a seamstress, Parks bravely stood up for what was right during a time when racial divisions ran deep. Ironically another Alabama native came back home this past weekend -- Condoleezza Rice. Half a century after Mrs. Parks made her courageous gesture, our country has a bl...

Condoleezza Rice, second left, and British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw, second right, walk with Kimya Loder, 9, from left, Candace Knight, 6, Kamaya Loder, 5 and Carmen Knight, 7 as they leave the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham. The church was bombed in 1963 killing four young girls during church services. Rice was on a three-day visit to her home state along with Straw. (AP Photo/The Birmingham News, Bernard Troncale).

I love this time of year. I love the crisp mornings, the cool evenings. I love lighting fires in the chiminea on the deck. I love having people over for dinner with the windows raised and the doors open. This weather makes the cats and even the Great Dane frisky. I love the crunchy leaves on the ground, the clean smell of fall in the air and Halloween excitement that makes it okay to eat candy and watch television shows about haunted places. I love seeing pumpkins on porches and homemade bedsheet ghosts hanging from trees. Autumn is such an amazing time of year.

A view of the beach in Cancun on Wednesday as Hurricane Wilma approaches. Authorities began evacuating 10,000 people in the area. Many tourists are leaving, but others planned to stay in local shelters. (Daniel Aguilar / Reuters) This might be the most terrifying photograph I have ever seen. I am not going to join the leagues of other doomsday predictors, but this photo sure fuels my simple theory that Mother Nature is pissed! Somebody give her a Xanax and a People magazine because we have had enough natural disasters in the past year to last a decade.

**** THIS POST CONTAINS SPOILERS PERTAINING TO THE MOVIE "NAPOLEAN DYNAMITE." READ NO FURTHER IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN THE MOVIE, BUT PLAN TO***** Okay, I know I am probably the last person on the face of the earth that saw "Napoleon Dynamite" but I enjoyed every minute of it and now understand the frenzy -- it is well deserved. I have always loved stories of the nerds and other underdogs rising to the top and this movie does it such a creative way. Yeah Napoleon keeps getting the raw end of every deal that comes his way, but he keeps on moving. The bizarre scenes like when he stuffs tater tots in his parachute pants to enjoy later as a snack, lunch at the chicken farm and the FFA competition are just so bizarre but also relatable in some strange way. Two kids in my neighborhood did the bike pulling the roller blader stunt (although in our case it was a skateboard) and that landed the skateboarder in the hospital and the bike owner laughing all the way home. I think...

Kids don't try this at home. My sister and I know a former kid that was in a full arm cast after this stunt and now he's a lawyer, so there definitely are lasting consequences. Another 80's/90's mish mash is the free spirtesque ten speed bike with the roller blades -- nice!

Move over baby fever. After seeing "Napoleon Dynamite" I think I want a llama. Those eyelashes are so sweet. Poor Tina, she didn't deserve having her dinner thrown at her that way! I wish I could adopt her.

I temporarily shelved my 'Album of the Week' feature after the Katrina chaos. I briefly lost my inspiration for a month or so and became bogged down with wondering if any business or institution, like the government, is ever managed effenciently, but now I'm back to what really matters -- pop culture. To get back on track, 'Album of the Week' has a special fall edition this week with the mixed tape. Yes, it is a lost art form although the iPod and similar mp3 shufflers massively memic the concept. Mixed tapes were religious experiences in high school and college for me. CDs were out way before CD burners so the mixed tape lived on past the album on tape because that, for many years, was the only way to create a compilation. In high school, my favorite mixed tapes were the ones I created at home with my double cassette boom box (four words you don't hear much anymore in sequence). I liked my homegrown tapes the best, even the ones created from songs off Auburn...

Here are some images of what is most likely Birmingham's only pet lemur. His name is Ringo and he and his human, Billy, came to AIDS walk Sunday at Brother Bryan Park. I asked all the questions I know everyone asks Billy. He has a vet here in town whose mainstay is cats and dogs of course, but he had a concentration in primates in vet school. He makes many sounds including a meow and a chatter when he doesn't get what he wants. The tail is the part I love the most. Billy said he cost $2000, was bought from a woman in north Alabama and that it took much government tape to cut through to get this unusual critter. I don't think I have ever been so star struck by an animal before. I had heard about Ringo through two of our friends who babysat him one weekend. When I Googled "pet lemur" I found a good bit of information on their diet (they are vegetarian and eat fruit and leaves in their natural habitat). Many species of this Madagascar monkey are indangered. I als...

I had another bought of insomnia last week coming off of the Boston trip and back into the full tilt boogie reality of work and school. I found this great little onesie for Ben at the thrift store and before I threw it in the washing machine, I got to thinking, in only the way a sleepless mind can, that the little outfit would probably fit Fred perfectly and it did. Funny thing is he didn't seem to mind it whatsoever and was more than happy to have his picture taken while sporting the duds that look more like a beach bum shirt than a baby outfit on him. I am hoping you animal lovers will get a kick out of this and not think I need to be carted away in a padded van. Something about dogs and cats in clothes cracks me up.

Lindsay puts the choke hold on Clare in order to gain access to her new pink Kangol bucket I gave her as a graduation present. Clare is now a practicing pharmacist. It's hard to believe this is the same person I went dumpster diving with and who used to try, but fail, to drink me under the table in college. We've come a long way baby! Sister Brown, same goes for you. Although brief, I am really glad you came over the other night. I know Clare really appreciated it.

Clare took Peter and I out to dinner her last night in town to the famous Silvertron Cafe . We had much fun. On our way back home we stopped at Bruno's where Clare and Peter bought wine and three Halloween masks that they we all wore on the way home. I think it was Peter that decided the masks should be reincarnated rock stars. His was Eddie Deader. Mine was Neil Old and I don't think we ever got around to naming Clare's although looking at it now I think she could be Shock-a-Khan . I beging hanging out with these two together in the spring of 1991. We used to make prank phone calls together to rooms on campus since the calls couldn't be traced. It's nice to know that we still act like the young jackasses of long ago.

Clare and Lindsay practice their sign language skills while dressed in black, October 9

This bungalow was one we saw for sale driving around Crestwood in December 1999, an old neighborhood in east Birmingham. A married couple with a baby lived here and although their decorating style left much to be desired (K called in "The softer side of Sears"), we could see the potential from the minute we stepped in the place. This house sits on a hill and was built in 1927 and definitely had the feel of the houses we both lived in and loved in Montevallo. Thanks to Angela for asking me to post an example of house present. I love having a place to call home. This house has brought a lot of comfort and peace into our lives and we love being able to share it with our friends and family.

When K and I were looking for a house in Birmingham I know in our hearts we wanted a bungalow that had the look and feel of the houses we lived in when we went to college at Montevallo. This is mine -- it is a little more run down than when we lived there, butt he charm and signature bungalow features are still very much alive. If I ever had the means I would buy this house and restore it. I will always love it like a friend.

K lived in a bungalow one house away from mine and across the busiest street in Montevallo. Her bungalow is in much better shape currently which makes me think it has been sold wherease mine is still being rented I believe. It's interesting how much the houses look alike with the windows on the roof and the carport. I am proud that we have our own bungalow now that was inspired by the love we both had for these houses. This is another example of life coming full circle that really puts a smile on my face.

Clare's mother lived in this house from 1992 to 2004 and this place was always our hideout after we graduated. As fate would have it, our friend Jess Marie Walker bought the house and yesterday she had a fire going in the fireplace when Clare and I stopped by. It was wonderful to see the house that feels even more cozy than when Barb had it and is enhanced by the presence of two wonderful children, Eva and Walker, two kitters, a sweet dog and Jess's boyfriend Larry who kept the fire going for us. Eva was the first Montevallo baby born to a member of our Montevallo circle in June of 1992. Walker was born in 1996. Clare and are amazed that the child whose baby shower we attended is so mature, beautiful and intellegent at age 13 and I can say the exact same thing about her little brother who I spend hours with talking about guitars and Nirvana. I am more than impressed with how smart, funny and aware these two former Montevallo babies are at such a young age. I kept having to rem...

It's not that I don't have enough to blog about, I have too much so where do I start? Last weekend's wonderful and very meaningful weekend was followed by another one that involved beloved friends from college past in an inpromtu reunion down in Montevallo, the home of my alma mater (30 minutes south of Birmingham). One best friend just got married, the other is getting unmarried. It's weird how major life events can follow each other. I am sad and sorry for the breakup of this marriage, but again I was reminded this weekend about the beauty of our retained friendships and their power to make wonderful events like that wedding more wonderful and painful events like divorce a little easier to cope with because of the safety net we have been blessed with by maintaining our friendships over this 15 year span. In so many ways we have grown up together, seen each others children start as tiny babies and turn into teenagers, watched relationships come and go, college days end...

Leaves start to change in Cades Cove near Townsend, Tenn., Wednesday, Oct. 5, 2005. Green leaves turning crispy brown do not bode well for a masterpiece autumn in the Smokies and other high elevations in the South as dry, hot weather slows the color peak. ``Fall color progress has been slow,'' said Great Smoky Mountains National Park spokeswoman Nancy Gray. (AP Photo/Wade Payne) I haven't seen any leaves changing in this fall, but the weather has suddenly and unexpectedly changed for the better. The nasty humidity that slapped us in the face the minute we stepped off the plane has been replaced by cool breezes that have allowed us to open the windows, turn on the attic fan and finally enjoy the weater. I hear from my two Montana connections that there is already snow on the ground up there in some areas. Here it is gray, wet and leafy -- perfect sleeping weather. I haven't had time to do the wedding blog -- been too busy with work, school and cleaning for company, but ...

Roy and Liane's wedding could not have been more beautiful or a on a better weekend. I told Roy tonight on the phone that I just never wanted it to end. We laughed, we cried and told what seemed like hundreds of stories about everything from college days at Montevallo and beyond. I love Boston. Everyone I talked to was friendly and helpful. The Boston accent is no television stereotype. It is alive and well and I joked that our cabbies with their backwards newsboy caps were straight out of central casting with their accents and stories of crazy Boston life. This trip and the Brown family trip to Canada definitely have made this year a very memorable one. I have a million descriptions of all things ceremony and reception related, but don't have the mental energy to even know where to begin. Lindsay came over today to get one of her late birthday presents -- a stylin' jacket from the Puma store on Newbury Street. It was great to get to tell her some of the stories of the even...